Potty training device

ABSTRACT

A potting training device for preventing a potty training child&#39;s urine stream from passing through an opening between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl is made of a flexible, water-resistant, preferably non-porous material, having a bendable urine-deflector and a plurality of attachment tabs positioned at the top of, and substantially at right angles to, the bendable urine-deflector, thereby forming an L-shaped configuration. An adhesive material is applied to the surface of each attachment tab and attaches the attachment tabs to the underside of the toilet seat. When not attached to the underside of the toilet seat, the bendable urine-deflector has a flat configuration. In order to attach the potty training device to the underside of the toilet seat, it is manipulated into a curved configuration that matches the curvature of the toilet seat, and is attached thereto.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a potty training device that functions asa urine-deflector when attached to the underside of an adult sizedtoilet seat. The invention is designed to block the opening formedbetween the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. This invention reducesaccidental wetting of clothing and the floor that occurs when a child'surine stream passes through the opening between the toilet seat and thetoilet bowl.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a major accomplishment for a child to reach the stage of sittingon an adult toilet during potty training. Obtaining control over thedirection of urine flow, however, may take some time for a child tomaster, particularly a male child. When sitting on the toilet, a child'surine stream is not always directed into the toilet. There are occasionswhere the child's urine stream finds its way out of the toilet throughthe opening formed between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. Thisresults in the urine stream coming in contact with the child's pants orother clothing and the floor. This can be very upsetting for a child whois trying to do their best to stay dry and master going to the toilet,as well as the parent who has to continually clean up the mess.

Urine deflecting devices are not new to the art. Many of the knowndevices, however, are designed for adult males to prevent urine fromsplashing onto the seat during urination from a standing position. Fewpotty training devices address preventing the urine stream from passingthrough the opening between the toilet seat and toilet bowl.

Truettner (U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,527) discloses a molded plastic devicethat attaches to the underside of the toilet seat to prevent a child'surine stream from passing through the opening formed between the toiletbowl and the toilet seat. When attached to the underside of the toiletseat, the prior art device is not visible when the toilet seat is down,unless viewed from a position to the rear of the attachment point.

However, this prior art device is bulky, which results in increasedmanufacturing and sales costs. The device is also difficult to clean andfrequent replacement increases expense for the consumer. Anotherdrawback is that the prior art device has a fixed configuration. Giventhe variety of toilet seat shapes, the fixed configuration of the priorart device limits its compatibility with many toilet seats. Therefore,in order to accommodate the full range of toilet seat shapes, the priorart device would have to be manufactured in a variety of configurations,adding additional expense to manufacturing costs and to the consumer.

What is needed is an inexpensive device that is effective for blockingthe opening formed between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl, requiresminimal manufacturing cost, and is easy to clean and replace withoutsignificant expense to the consumer. Additionally, there is a need for asingle device that is flexible enough to match the curvature of anytoilet seat and still remain hidden when the toilet seat is down, unlessviewed from a position to the rear of the attachment point.

Our prior U.S. Pat. No. 7,870,619, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference, meets these needs and others. Thedevice is made of a flexible, water-resistant, preferably non-poroussheet material, having a folding seam separating a urine-deflectingsurface and a plurality of attachment tabs. An adhesive material isapplied to the surface of each attachment tab and bonds the attachmenttabs to the underside of the toilet seat. The urine-deflecting surfacehangs down from the underside of the toilet seat, blocking the openingbetween the toilet seat and the toilet bowl and, therefore, also, anyurine directed towards such opening.

We have discovered, however, a problem associated with certainembodiments, specifically in the folding seam. We have found that whenthe device is folded about the folding seam located on the front of thedevice, particularly in the context of a thicker product, the act offolding about the folding seam creates a shelf that collects urine,which, over time, becomes strongly malodorous. On the other hand,relocating the seam to the back of the product can in some embodimentslead to pressure between the attachment tabs and the urine-deflectingsurface tending to lift the urine-deflecting surface out of its optimalurine-deflecting position.

Accordingly, there is now a need for a device that has all theadvantages of the device disclosed in our prior patent, but none of thedisadvantages just discovered. These and other objects were met with thepresent invention, described hereinbelow.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When attached to the underside of a toilet seat, the potty trainingdevice of the present invention effectively blocks the opening formedbetween the toilet seat and the toilet bowl and provides a simple andinexpensive solution to the above-described problems. Unlike the devicedescribed in our prior patent, the present device lacks a folding seamand, therefore, the problems that may be associated therewith in someembodiments. In its unattached configuration, the potty training deviceof the present invention comprises a bendable (or flexible)urine-deflector that has a flat configuration and a plurality ofattachment tabs that are in contact with the urine-deflector. Eachattachment tab is positioned at the top of the urine-deflector andoriented substantially at a right angle to the urine-deflector at thecontact point. The potty training device of the present invention istherefore manufactured to have an “L-shaped” cross-section (orconfiguration) and is optionally prepackaged in the same manufacturedL-shaped configuration (i.e., before sale and/or user manipulation andattachment to the underside of the toilet seat), as shown in FIG. 2. Theinvention in one embodiment, therefore, relates to an optionally sealedpackage, to be opened by a consumer-user, containing the potty trainingdevice having the L-shaped cross-section.

In defining the cross-sectional, angular positional relationship of theattachment tabs relative to the urine-defector, the meaning of phrase“substantially at a right angle” is an angle between the attachment tabsand the urine-deflector that is between about 45 degrees and about 90degrees, or between about 90 degrees and about 135 degrees, preferablyabout 90 degrees and most preferably exactly 90 degrees.

In order to achieve its attached configuration on the underside of atoilet seat, the potty training device shown in FIGS. 1-3 is manipulatedinto a curved configuration by bending the left and right edges of thebendable urine-deflector inward, thereby resulting in the curvedconfigurations shown in FIGS. 4-5, and then attached to the underside ofa toilet seat, as shown in FIGS. 6-7. The plurality of attachment tabsfurther comprises a means for attaching the potty training device to theunderside of a toilet seat. In an embodiment of the present invention,each attachment tab has layered thereon, an adhesive material, whichprovides the means for attaching the potty training device to theunderside of the toilet seat.

The potty training device of the present invention may be manufacturedfrom any material that is flexible, water-resistant and preferablynon-porous. The material used to manufacture the potty training deviceshould also be strong and flexible enough to resist tearing or breakingduring manual manipulation and attachment to, and removal from, theunderside of the toilet seat.

For the purposes of description, reference number 1 in the relevantfigures refers to either a single attachment tab or a plurality ofattachment tabs. When referring to more than one attachment tab, thephrase “plurality of attachment tabs” is used throughout thespecification, unless otherwise indicated. The use of the terms“bendable” and “flexible” are used interchangeably throughout thespecification and are taken to have the same meaning. The terms“bendable” or “flexible” may optionally appear before the term“urine-deflector” throughout the specification. In the absence of theterms “bendable” or “flexible” preceding the term “urine-deflector”, itis understood that the “urine-deflector” possesses the characteristic ofbeing “bendable” or “flexible.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of the potty training device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the potty training device of thepresent invention depicted in FIG. 1, taken along line 2-2, showing its“L-shaped” configuration.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the potty training device of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the potty training device of the presentinvention in a curved configuration, showing separation of the topcorners of adjacent attachment tabs.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the potty training device depicted in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is top view of the potty training device depicted in FIG. 5,attached to the underside of a toilet seat.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the urine-deflector attached tothe underside of a toilet seat, as depicted in FIG. 6, taken along theline 7-7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a potty training device 100comprising a bendable urine-deflector 2, a plurality of attachment tabs1, and a means for attaching the potty training device to the undersideof a toilet seat. More specifically, the potty training device 100 isconfigured such that the plurality of attachment tabs 1 are in contactwith the top of the bendable urine-deflector 2 and are positionedsubstantially at right angles to the bendable urine-deflector 2, therebyproducing a “L-shaped” configuration (or cross section) between theattachment tabs 1 and the bendable urine-deflector 2, as shown in FIG.2. The means for attaching the potty training device 100 to theunderside of the toilet seat allows the bendable urine-deflector 2 to bepositioned in a curved configuration to block the opening 52 formedbetween the toilet seat 50 and the toilet bowl 51, to allow a surface ofthe bendable urine-deflector 2 to function as a urine-deflecting surfaceto deflect a urine stream directed towards the opening into the toiletbowl 51, as shown in FIG. 7.

In its curved configuration, the urine deflecting surface of thebendable urine-deflector 2 faces to the rear of the toilet seat. Theflexibility of the potty training device 100 allows for manualmanipulation into various curvatures, so as to accommodate the shape ofmany different toilet seats.

The urine-deflector 2 preferably has a rectangular configuration, asshown in FIG. 3. The height of the urine-deflector 2 is defined as thelength from the top edge to the bottom edge of the urine-deflector 2.The width of the urine-deflector 2 is defined as the length between itsleft edge and right edge. The width of the urine-deflector 2 is greaterthan its height.

The width of the urine-deflector 2 is selected to provide sufficientcoverage for the variation in the lateral direction of a child's urinestream. While not intending to be limited to any particular width forthe urine-deflector 2, preferred widths are from 6-9 inches. The heightof urine-deflector 2 is selected to allow the urine-deflector 2 tocompletely block the opening formed between the underside of the toiletseat 50 and the top of the toilet bowl 51. While not intending to belimited to any particular height for urine-deflector 2, preferredheights range from 1-3 inches. In a particular embodiment of theinvention, the urine-deflector 2 has a rectangular dimension of 6 inchesby 3 inches or 6 inches by 1.5 inches.

Additionally, the dimensions of the urine-deflector 2 are sufficient toavoid contact with the toilet bowl 51 when the toilet seat 50 is liftedto, or lowered from, a vertical position. Further, the potty trainingdevice 100 once attached, is not visible to the observer unless thetoilet seat 50 is raised, is in an upright vertical position or isviewed from a position to the rear of the attachment point when thetoilet seat 50 is down.

The present invention is also directed to a potty training device 100comprising a bendable urine-deflector 2, a plurality of attachment tabs1, and an adhesive material 3 applied to each attachment tab 1, whereinthe adhesive material 3 attaches the potty training device 100 to theunderside of a toilet seat 50.

As depicted in FIG. 1, the potty training device 100 comprises aplurality of attachment tabs 1, wherein each attachment tab 1 is incontact with the urine-deflector 2, positioned substantially at rightangles relative to the urine-deflector 2, as shown in FIG. 2. The pottytraining device 100 of the present invention may comprise any number ofattachment tabs 1. Depending on the size of the width of theurine-deflector 2, from 4-10 attachment tabs 1 are preferred. An oddnumber of attachment tabs 1 is particularly preferred, because thecenter attachment tab provides a visual reference point for centeringthe potty training device 100 at the attachment point on the undersideof the toilet seat 50. Thus, in a particular embodiment of theinvention, 5, 7 or 9 attachment tabs 1 are preferred. All attachmenttabs 1 preferably have the same dimensions and are evenly distributedacross the width of the urine-deflector 2.

In order to attach the potty training device 100 to the underside of thetoilet seat, an adhesive material 3 is applied on each attachment tab 1.The adhesive material 3 can be applied by any suitable means, forexample, by layering, coating or printing, and the adhesive is,preferably, applied as a solid layer, although it is also possible toapply the adhesive in a pattern of discrete islands of adhesive, forexample, in the form of dots or squares or other shapes, as is wellknown in the adhesive arts.

The potty training device 100 is applied to the underside of the toiletseat by manipulating the device into a curved configuration as shown inFIG. 4. More specifically, the curved configuration is achieved bybending the left and right edges of the bendable urine-deflector 2inward, such that the plurality of attachment tabs 1 separate. In thiscurved configuration, the adhesive material 3 on the plurality ofattachment tabs 1 is pressed against the underside of the toilet seat50, such that the curvature of the bendable urine-deflector 2 matchesthe curvature of the toilet seat 50.

While any means for attaching the potty training device 100 to theunderside of a toilet seat 50 can be used, an adhesive material 3 ispreferred. The adhesive material 3 is a preferably pressure-sensitiveadhesive strip (such as, for example, “double sided tape”) or resin thatis applied to each attachment tab 1, and once applied to the undersideof the toilet seat 50, is preferably strong enough to hold the pottytraining device 100 in place until physically removed by the consumerand not damage the finish of the toilet seat 50 during removal.

The adhesive material 3 is preferably water-resistant and non-porous.The adhesive material 3 is also preferably applied to the plurality ofattachment tabs in a thin layer coating or as a thin sheet, where anadhesive strip is used. While not compromising the ability of theadhesive material 3 to hold the potty training device 100 in place, theapplication of the adhesive material 3 to the plurality of attachmenttabs 1 should be as thin as possible, so as to not create large gapsbetween the potty training device 100 and the underside of the toiletseat 50. Such large gaps could allow urine to accumulate therein andcontribute to excessive odor development. While it is understood thatregardless of how thin the adhesive material 3 applied to the pluralityof attachment tabs 1 is, small gaps may likely exist, and urine may findits way into such gaps by capillary action. The benefit of having smallgaps, however, is that use of a cleaning solvent such as alcohol, willalso enter the small gaps by capillary action and thereby reduce oreliminate odor development. Therefore, any gaps that are formed by thepresence of the adhesive material 3 on the plurality of attachment tabs1 should be as small as possible to aid in the ability to clean thepotty training device 100.

In order to assist with removal of potty training device 100 from thetoilet seat, in another embodiment of the invention, each individualattachment tab 1 may comprise a release tab 4, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4and 5. The release tabs 4 allow the consumer to pull the potty trainingdevice away from the toilet seat, without touching the urine-deflector2. The release tabs 4 comprise a section of the attachment tabs 1, whichdoes not contain any adhesive material 3, thereby allowing the consumerto, for example, grasp a non-adhesive containing section of theattachment tab 1 between their thumb and index finger, and pull theattachment tab 1 away from the toilet seat. By way of example, as shownin the drawings, the release tabs 4 are engaged by bending or foldingdown a small section of the attachment tab 1 along a bending or foldingseam 4 a.

While the release tabs 4 shown in the drawings represent one possibleconfiguration for this element of the invention, other configurationsfor this element of the invention are also possible. Suitableconfigurations for the release tabs 4 are those that will allow theconsumer to easily grasp a portion of the attachment tab 1 with theirthumb and index finger and pull successive attachment tabs 1 away fromthe toilet seat 50 thereby removing the potty training device 100.Regardless of the configuration of this embodiment, the adhesivematerial 3 is not applied to the release tab 4. Once removed from thetoilet seat, the potty training device 100 may be discarded in thetrash.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the potty trainingdevice 100 is made from a flexible, water-resistant and preferablynon-porous material. Any material having these characteristics issuitable for the invention. In a particular embodiment of the invention,the potty training device 100 is made from a rubber or plastic resinmaterial, wherein a plastic resin material is particularly preferred.While any plastic resin material having the above characteristics can beused, plastic resin materials may be selected from, but not limited to:polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride (PVC) andpolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

Other types of plastic resin materials that are suitable for making thepotty training device 100 of the present invention include thermoplasticelastomer (TPE) materials. TPE materials are particularly preferred asthey are well suited for use in injection molding processes, produceproducts that are flexible, strong and tear resistant, have a rubberyfeel and texture, and are soft to the touch. Examples of TPE materialsuitable for making the potty training device of the present inventioninclude, but are not limited to: ONFLEX, DYNAFLEX, KRATON, ARNTITEL,ENGAGE, HYTREL, DRYFLEX and MEDIPRENE. DYNAFLEX is a preferred TPEmaterial for making the potty training device 100 of the presentinvention.

To further assist in maintaining the sanitary condition of the pottytraining device 100 of the present invention, may also be treated withany compound that inhibits the formation of odor, bacteria, mold orother urine associated growth. The potty training device 100 may also bea medical grade type material, such as a medical grade plastic forexample, that is also resistant to the formation of odor, bacteria, moldor other urine associated growth, provided that the selected materialhas the desired flexibility characteristics previously described.

The invention has been described in terms of illustrative embodiments.It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that variousmodifications and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is intended thatthe invention not be limited in any manner by the embodiments shown anddescribed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A potty training device comprising: a bendableurine-deflector; a plurality of attachment tabs, wherein said pluralityof attachment tabs are in contact with the top of said bendableurine-deflector and are positioned substantially at right angles to thebendable urine-deflector; and a means for attaching said potty trainingdevice to the underside of a toilet seat; wherein the device lacks afolding seam between said bendable urine-deflector and said plurality ofattachment tabs; and wherein said bendable urine-deflector can bepositioned in a curved configuration and attached in said curvedconfiguration via said means for attaching to the underside of saidtoilet seat to block an opening formed between the toilet seat and atoilet bowl to which said toilet seat is attached, and a surface of saidbendable urine-deflector serves as a urine-deflecting surface to deflecta urine stream directed towards said opening into the toilet bowl. 2.The potty training device according to claim 1, wherein said bendableurine-deflector has a flat configuration when not attached to theunderside of the toilet seat.
 3. The potty training device according toclaim 2, wherein said means for attaching said potty training device tothe underside of a toilet seat comprises an adhesive material applied toa plurality of attachment tabs.
 4. The potty training device accordingto claim 3, wherein each attachment tab within said plurality ofattachment tabs further comprises a release tab.
 5. The potty trainingdevice according to claim 3, wherein said adhesive material is apressure-sensitive adhesive resin or pressure-sensitive double-sidedtape.
 6. The potty training device according to claim 5, wherein saidadhesive material is water-resistant.
 7. The potty training deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein said potty training device is made from aplastic resin material.
 8. The potty training device according to claim7, wherein said plastic resin material is selected from: polyethylene,polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polytetrafluoroethylene,or a thermoplastic elastomer.
 9. The potty training device according toclaim 8, wherein said plastic resin material is a thermoplasticelastomer.
 10. The potty training device according to claim 1, whereinsaid plurality of attachment tabs are positioned at right angles to thebendable urine-deflector.
 11. A method of potty training comprising:providing a potty training device according to claim 1; attaching thedevice to the underside of a toilet seat with the aid of said means in aposition to block an opening formed between the toilet seat and a toiletbowl to which said toilet seat is attached so that the urine-deflectingsurface deflects a urine stream directed towards said opening into thetoilet bowl.
 12. The potty training method according to claim 11,wherein said attaching of said device to the underside of a toilet seatcomprises: bending the left and right edges of said bendableurine-deflector inward such that said plurality of attachment tabsseparate and the curvature of the bendable urine-deflector comes tomatch the curvature of said toilet seat; and pressing said adhesivematerial on said attachment tabs now separated against the underside ofa toilet seat to fix the curvature of the bendable urine-deflector asmatching the curvature of the said toilet seat.
 13. A method of pottytraining comprising: providing a potty training device according toclaim 1; attaching the device to the underside of a toilet seat with theaid of said adhesive material in a position to block an opening formedbetween the toilet seat and a toilet bowl to which said toilet seat isattached so that the urine-deflecting surface deflects a urine streamdirected towards said opening into the toilet bowl.